


Wolf Pack

by AJWmagickl



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Werewolf AU, just for fun, super short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-17 07:18:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16090742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AJWmagickl/pseuds/AJWmagickl
Summary: Lately, Jesus has noticed a few things about Daryl...





	Wolf Pack

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a silly little thing I found on my computer as I was working (finally & again) on one of my WIPs. I hope you enjoy it.

_Lately, Jesus has noticed a few odd things about Daryl. It's hard not to, actually, now that they share Jesus' small trailer at Hilltop. And Jesus, being a smart and observant kind of guy, took the clues...the smell of wet dog on Daryl's clothes, the muddy paw prints that often lead from their trailer to the fence and just stop, and the way Daryl disappears, without fail, on the night of each full moon...and puts them together. Jesus has been through an apocalypse filled with walking dead people, after all. So suspecting that his roommate may actually be a werewolf isn't such a leap of faith._

*********

The bush rustles, and out pops a light brown ball of fluff barely bigger than Jesus’ shoe. It yips once, and he stares as it wobbles on its legs a bit, trying to steady itself. When it sees him, it yips again and jumps a little in surprise, rolling back onto its haunches. Dark eyes peer at him, _sheepishly_ , he thinks, although there’s no doubt that this is a wolf pup. Its fur is the color of dust, it’s eyes framed in black.

“D...D...Daryl?”, he asks quietly, holding his right hand up carefully. He keeps his feet and legs still so as not to startle the pup. “It’s okay, little guy.” Then he realizes what he’s said. “I mean, not _little guy_ , I mean, it’s okay, it’s just me.”  Dammit, two seconds in and he’s already insulted his friend. This isn’t what he meant to do at all.

“Just…just be still. We’re friends, right?” He takes a tentative step and the pup stills. He hopes it knows him. Too-big eyes stare at him as he takes another tiny step forward. A rush of protectiveness sweeps over him, settling in his gut. He doesn’t understand how any of this is happening, and this is quite different than anything he'd imagined, but he can’t leave Daryl out here all alone.

Another step, and a low growl, too dangerous and deep for a pup, rumbles through the leaves of the bush. The little wolf squeaks and jumps again, and this time runs straight for Jesus. He scoops it up with his hand protectively, but his other hand pulls a knife from inside his coat. Both he and the pup stare with wide eyes as an enormous wolf emerges. It’s twice his size, and the pup whimpers as it stares them down. It takes Jesus a moment to realize that its blue eyes are familiar.

“Daryl.” He breathes a small sigh of relief, but stays alert. “This makes so much more sense.”

He doesn’t know if Daryl can recognize him in this form. He pulls the pup closer as it whimpers.

Daryl approaches them, silently padding across the road until Jesus can feel hot breath on his face. This wolf has to be Daryl, he’s sure of it, if it weren’t the eyes it would be the breadth of its shoulders, or maybe just the way its _glaring_ at him. He stays shock-still. The wolf leans in to push on the pup’s shoulder with his nose, and before Jesus can even sense any kind of change, he’s looking not at a wolf pup, but at Judith, curled up in his arm, staring at Daryl with wide eyes.

“Judith?!” Jesus’ eyes move from the girl in his arms to the wolf just a few inches away, and back.

She doesn’t look at him. She’s looking at the wolf. “I’m sowwy Unca Dar.” She says, and a big tear slides down her cheek.

Daryl nuzzles her neck, his long tongue swiping across her face until she giggles.

All is forgiven, apparently.

Well, maybe not everything. Daryl is now glaring at Jesus, teeth slightly bared, ears laying back against his head.

“I’m sorry I thought you were a puppy.”, say Jesus matter-of-factly.

The wolf’s ears come forward a bit and it cocks its head. Waiting for an explanation, no doubt.

So, Jesus starts rambling. “I know, it was a stupid thing to think, but I’m new to all this. I mean, I knew something was going on, and I figured out the wolf part, or maybe the dog part, I didn’t know for sure, but I followed you out here and how was I supposed to know that Judith was a werewolf, and for that matter, even if it had been you, you’d be adorable.” He stops to draw a breath and sees that now both Daryl and Judith are staring at him.

Daryl growls.

“I said I’m sorry.” Jesus gives a nod of finality, because that’s all the apologizing he’s planning to do tonight. After all, Daryl still hadn’t apologized to _him_ for drinking the last cup of coffee in the trailer.

Daryl turns and disappears into the bushes, returning a moment later in human form. He’s pulled on his jeans but carries his shirt and vest over his arm, along with Judith’s dress and leggings. Those, he throws at Jesus.

“Get her dressed”, he drawls, his voice still a bit lower than normal, his eyes a bit fiercer. Jesus sets her down and the moment she’s dressed, Daryl kneels and takes her hand. “Hey little Asskicker, ya know what ya did, right?”

She nods solemnly.

“You ain’t gonna do it again. No more runnin’ off into the woods, I don’t care how tasty that little bunny looked.”

Judith’s eyes are shimmering with unshed tears, and her lower lip is pushed forward in the pout to end all pouts.

“Don’t you look at me like that.” Daryl’s voice is stern. “You know you scared me and the pack half to death. It ain’t safe out here for pups.” He stares at her for a moment. “What have you got to say?”

“I won’t do it again.”, she whispers.

“Promise me?”

She sniffles and nods. “Pwomise.”

Daryl nods and takes her hand, heading down the road toward Hilltop, but Jesus just stands there staring after them.

“ _Pack?!!”_


End file.
